Bradford Council Delegated Authority - Decision Support Tool

Name of child/young person
Legal Status
Name of Foster carers

The decision support tool is to assist social workers, parents, foster carers and young people to talk about who is authorised to make decisions for children in care. It can help to prepare for the initial Placement Planning meeting and subsequent review when the Placement Plan is considered. The discussion and agreement for these decisions should be made as part of the placement plan and updated accordingly.

Clarifying who is best placed to take everyday decisions depends on many factors; the young person’s age, views, legal status and care plan, the parents’ views and the experience and the views of the foster carer. Collaboration and consultation are essential for successful partnership working.

It is assumed that foster carers will where possible take into account the child/young person’s developing maturity and ability to contribute to, or make decisions about, aspects of their own lives.

Guidance re Placement Planning and Delegated Authority – taken from the Fostering Service National Minimum Standards 2011
6.4 Children have prompt access to doctors and other health professionals including specialist services (in conjunction with the responsible authority) when they need services.
6.5 Children’s health is promoted in accordance with their placement plan and foster carers are clear about what responsibilities and decisions are delegated to them and where consent for medical treatment needs to be obtained
7.3 Foster cares understand what is in the child’s placement plan and have clarity about decisions they can make about the day to day arrangements for the child, including such matters as education, leisure activities, overnights stays, holidays and personal issues such as hair cuts
7.4 Foster carers are supported to make reasonable and appropriate decisions within the authority delegated to them without having to seek consent unnecessarily.
9.1 Children are supported and encouraged to maintain and develop family contacts and friendships, subject to any limitations or provisions set out in their care plan and in any court order.

Consent for decisions for children accommodated under S20 of the Children Act 1989 can only be granted by the parent or person with parental responsibility.

Consent/agreement/task / To whom is authority delegated? / Who delegates the authority?
Medical and Health Issues
1.1 Consent – routine immunisations / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
1.2 Emergency/Planned medical procedures not requiring general anaesthetic. / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
1.3 Medical procedures carried out in the home where the person administering the procedure requires training (e.g. child with disability/illness) / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
1.4 Dental – emergency/routine treatment not requiring general anaesthetic / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
1.5 Optician – appointments, glasses / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
1.6 Consent to examinations /treatment by named nurse/other health professional / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
1.7 Administration of prescribed /over the counter medication / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
1.8 Permission for school to administer prescribed/over the counter medications / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
Education
2.1 Signed consent for school day trips / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
2.2 Signed consent for school trips of up to four days / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
2.3 Signed consent for school trips of over four days within Britain. / Social Worker / Local Authority/Parent
2.4 Using computers at school / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
2.5 School photos / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
2.6 Attendance at parents’ evenings / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
2.7 Attendance at PEP meetings / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
2.8 Attendance at unplanned meetings re incidents or immediate issues / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
2.9 Personal health and social education / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
Personal, leisure and home life
3.1 Overnight stays with friends / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
3.2 Holidays within the British Isles / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
3.3 Sporting activities including swimming / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
3.4 Social clubs including uniformed groups / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
3.5 More hazardous activities, e.g. horse-riding, skiing, rock climbing, watersports. / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
3.6 Day trips to leisure facilities / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
3.7 Haircuts/colouring / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
3.8 Mobile phone / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
3.9 Part-time employment / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
3.10 Accessing social networking sites, e.g. Facebook, Twitter, MSN / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
Contact (this may vary according to the reason for contact and the Care Plan)
4.1 Transport / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
4.2 Arranging / Social Worker / Local Authority/Parent
4.3 Facilitation / Social Worker / Local Authority/Parent
4.4 Formal supervision / Social Worker/ Support Worker / Local Authority/Parent
Identity and religious observations
5.1 Attendance at a place of worship / Foster Carer / Local Authority/Parent
5.2 New or changes in the order of first names, or preferred names / Social Worker / Local Authority/Parent
5.3 Life work including photos / Social Worker / Local Authority/Parent
Other delegated responsibilities specific to the child/young person
6.1 Referral/consent for the child/young person to access another service, e.g. CAMHS / Social Worker / Local Authority/Parent
6.2 Registering at a school / Social Worker / Local Authority/Parent
6.3 Changing a school / Social Worker / Local Authority/Parent
6.4 Referral/consent for child/young person to access another service (please specify the service) / Social Worker / Local Authority/Parent
6.5 Passport application / Social Worker / Local Authority/Parent
6.6 Holidays outside British Isles / Service Manager / Local Authority/Parent
6.7 Body piercing – please note tattoos require young person to be 18 years of age / Social Worker / Local Authority/Parent
6.8 Media activity / Social Worker / Local Authority/Parent
6.9 New or changes in faith, church or religious observance / Social Worker / Local Authority/Parent
Non-delegated areas
Consent/task / Who has authority? / Who also holds authority? / Status of child
Treatment involving anaesthetic/operation contrary to parental wishes / Service Manager / S.31
Discontinuation of medical treatment / Service Manager in consultation with higher manager / Parent / S.31
Signed consent to any dental or medical treatment requiring general anaesthetic / Service Manager / Parent / S.38/31
Please note any notification/consultation requirements or exceptions to the above

I confirm that the delegations listed above are agreed and I accept that the foster carers

(Name...... ) can exercise these responsibilities as a ‘responsible parent’.

Print Name...... Date: ......

Signed: ...... Parent/s

Print Name ...... Date : ......

Signed: ...... Social worker

Print Name ...... Date : ......

Signed: ...... Foster carer/s

If child/young person is placed under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989 consent for delegation of authority is given by:
Print name ...... Date ......
Signed: ...... Parent/Young Person
If the parent has not signed this form (and the young person is not of sufficient age or understanding to sign him/herself), indicate what measures have been taken to obtain their signature. In the absence of the parent a Service Manager’s signature is required (except for S20 CA 1989). This is to be updated and reviewed within the care planning process.
Print name: ...... Date: ......
Signed: ...... Service Manager